This French strawberry tart is an absolute showstopper. With a crisp pâte sucrée crust, a silky-smooth pastry cream (aka crème pâtissière) that slices neatly and a crown of glossy strawberries, it's perfect for birthdays, brunches, afternoon tea and any spring or summer gathering where you want something extra special.
Every bite is a lovely contrast of textures and flavours: buttery, tender yet crisp pastry, soft, melt-in-the-mouth custard filling and sweet, ripe strawberries that bring freshness. It's elegant without feeling fussy, and classic in that effortless French patisserie kind of way.
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❤️ Why this recipe works
- Pâte sucrée crust for a tender, buttery and sturdy shell that slices neatly
- Pastry cream set with cornstarch - no need for gelatine giving it a texture that is softer and creamier
- The tart shells stays crisp using an egg wash barrier - no soggy bottoms here
- Ripe yet firm strawberries for the perfect texture, freshness and sweetness
- Make-ahead elements keep it simple and relatively quick to make
What is Tarte aux Fraises?
A classic in French patisserie, tarte aux fraises translates simply to strawberry tart. It starts with a pâte sucrée pastry shell - a French pastry that is sturdy enough to hold the heavy filling whilst staying tender, buttery, crisp and easy to cut through.
The tart shell is filled with crème pâtissière (aka pastry cream, a thick French custard used for filling a variety of pastries) that is beautifully soft to eat but is thick enough to hold it's shape. I use cornflour (cornstarch) alone to set the pastry cream so there is no need for fussing around with gelatine here.
The topping is simple: fresh strawberries and strawberry jam for that glossy look.
Ingredients & substitutions
Now, it may look like a lot of ingredients here but keep in mind you have 3 layers- pastry, filling, fruit - and you can make portions of this ahead of time.
- Flour: The pate sucree pastry uses just plain flour (all purpose flour) and a little almond meal (ground almonds or almond flour). You can swap the almond meal for more plain flour.
- Eggs: You'll need large eggs here for both the pastry cream filling and the pastry base.
- Sugar: There are two types of sugar here. Icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar) is used in the pastry to keep it tender and light. Caster sugar (superfine sugar) are used for the pastry cream. You can swap the caster sugar for white granulated sugar too.
- Milk: Make sure to use whole milk in your pastry cream to get the right consistency and also flavour. You can use half n half if you like.
- Strawberries: You must use fresh strawberries here (no frozen strawberries) and you should look for firm yet ripe strawberries. They should be nice and red, all the way to the stem if possible, for the best flavour. Don't use strawberries with bruises, as it will be obvious in the final look.
- Strawberry jam is used as a glaze to give the strawberries a lovely gloss.
How to make strawberry tart
It may look tricky but this tart is actually very easy to make. You have 3 components here and each is simple, but plan ahead for chilling time.
- Pate sucree pastry shell - the pastry dough requires 1-2 hours chilling time. It can also be made 2-3 days in advance and even baked 1-2 days in advance.
- Pastry cream - requires 1 hour chill time before adding to the tart shell. It can be made a day in advance.
- Strawberries are simply cut in half and arranged on top before being brushed with jam. This can be done once the filling has set and is best done on the day of serving.
⬇️Jump to the recipe card for full quantities and instructions.
The butter and sugar
(1 minute) Beat together the butter and sugar just until it looks smooth.
Add egg
(1 minute) Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat in the egg until mostly smooth. It can look a little split at this stage but don't worry, it will come together on adding the flour
Dry ingredients
(1 minute) Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour, almond meal and salt, beating until it clumps.
Roll and shape
(1 hour 5 minutes) Roll the pastry dough out between two silicone mats or sheets of baking paper then shape it into the pan, pressing the sides down toward the bottom and up against the fluted sides. Chill the dough if it becomes to difficult to handle.
Now, chill the dough for 1 hour or up to 3 days.
While this recipe makes enough dough for one 9 inch wide pan or 8x 3 inch tart rings, you can use any shape or size tart pan for your strawberry custard tart.
Pâte sucrée pastry is VERY forgiving. If it breaks up as you try to shape it, just press it together and patch the cracks as needed. See more tips and troubleshooting in my pate sucree post.
Trim the edges
(30 seconds) Use a sharp knife laying flat to the edge of the pan to trim away the excess pastry.
Dock the pastry
(30 seconds) Dock the pastry (aka prick little holes all over with a fork). This allows steam to escape as it bakes and stops the base from lifting up.
Prepare to bake
(1 minute) Lay a sheet of crumpled baking paper into the tart shell and fill with pie weights (ceramic beads, coins, rice or lentils all work).
Bake
(35-40 minutes) You'll need a fully baked tart shell to add your fillings to, since the fillings are not baked. To blind bake, bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and baking weights, then bake a further 20-25 minutes until pale golden brown.
Brushing on some beaten egg just before the last 5 minutes of baking creates a barrier that will reduce the risk of your pastry becoming soggy once the filling has been added.
The pastry cream filling
While the pastry bakes, you can prepare the pastry cream filling for your strawberry custard tart.
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Heat the milk mixture
(2 minutes) In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, warm the milk, sugar and butter until the sugar has dissolved, the butter melted and you can see steam coming off the surface.
Add it to eggs
(2 minutes) While whisking, add the hot milk mixture to a mixture of beaten eggs and corn flour a ladleful at a time.
Heat to thicken
(5-6 minutes) Return it all to the saucepan and heat while gently whisking constantly until you notice it thickening.
Boil
(1-2 minutes) Let the pastry cream boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently. Boiling pastry cream does not look like boiling water - instead, you'll just see big bubbles popping at the surface.
Check thickness and chill
(1 hour) You need it to get nice and thick but this should only take the 1-2 minutes of boiling. It's ready when it doesn't readily settle back in on itself. You can draw a line in the pastry cream that will have soft edges but the line will stay there.
Now, you want to chill the pastry cream with plastic wrap pressed to the surface for at least 1 hour or until cold. You can use the freezer to speed this up.
Assembling the strawberry tart
Now, you get to see your French strawberry tart come together. You'll be adding the pastry cream first, then topping it with strawberries.
Re-whip
(1 minutes) Use a balloon whisk to re-whip the cold pastry cream so it's smooth.
Add to the tart shell
(3 minutes) Tip the pastry cream into the baked tart shell and spread it out evenly. Depending on the depth of your tart shell, you may have just enough or too much. Any extra can just be eaten by the spoonful 😋 or added to smaller tart shells (it will store in the fridge for 2-3 days).
Top the tart
(10 minutes) You should be able to add your strawberries straight away but if your filling is too soft to hold them on top, let it chill for a little while first.
Now, place a whole strawberry in the centre and surround it with halved strawberries. Brush some strawberry jam (heated slightly to loosen) over the top.
Tips and tricks
- Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. This will ensure the eggs and butter will combine properly for your pate sucree dough.
- Weigh the ingredients for best results. If you want a perfect tart shell, it's worth weighing your ingredients in grams, if a weight is provided, rather than using cup measures.
- All ovens vary: While the tart shell might take 35 minutes in my oven, it might take 40 or more in yours. You just want it to be pale golden brown all over and the base should look dry.
- The tart shell must be fully baked and cooled before adding the filling.
- Chill before serving - it's best to chill the tart for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
😥 Troubleshooting
If your egg is cold, you might find that it causes your butter to set again and form big lumps. You can just beat this out on low speed over a couple of minutes.
This is quite normal for pâte sucrée as it's a very short pastry. It's also very forgiving so you can patch it as you need to. You can even skip rolling it entirely and just press it into your tart pan.
Most often a shrinking tart crust is caused by not chilling it for long enough. The longer you chill the better but at least 1 hour is non-negotiable. Sometimes, overworking the dough can also cause it to shrink.
If you've chilled your pastry cream overnight, only to find it watery the next day, it wasn't cooked long enough. Boiling the pastry cream for a minute will deactivate the enzyme in the eggs that breaks down starch. You can return it to the stove over low-medium heat, whisking to smooth it, and let it come to a boil for at least a minute. You'll then need to cool it again before adding to the pastry shell.
Variations
You can change up your strawberry tart with a few little tweaks to add a little special twist.
- Add some citrus: You can alter the pastry cream flavour with just a little lemon zest or orange zest and a tablespoon or so of lemon juice or orange juice.
- Spices: You can add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the pastry cream to give it a little warmth.
- Fruit: Turn it into a classic French fruit tart by swapping the strawberries for a variety of berries and fruit. You can get really creative with this but try to steer clear of fruits that are very watery.
- Apples for Fall: Add a little cinnamon to the pastry cream (to taste) then top the tart with cinnamon apple compote.
Storage
Room temp
The tart shell once baked but unfilled, can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Fridge
The unbaked tart shell can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once it's cold and firm, trim off the overhanging pastry then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap.
The pastry cream should be stored in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and will keep for 2-3 days.
Leftover strawberry tart should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and eaten within 3 days.
Freezer
The whole strawberry tart should not be frozen. The pastry baked or unbaked, however, can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tools I use
- Kitchen Aid stand mixer: I love my Kitchen aid. It's helpful here but by no means a necessity. You can make the dough by hand in a mixing bowl or with a handheld electric mixer too.
- Silicone spatula: I use these for everything. They're just so good at getting every last bit of anything out of a bowl.
- Silicone mats: I love using these clear silicone mats for rolling my dough (it makes it so easy to remove and keeps the dough smooth) but you can use baking mats or baking paper.
- Rolling pin
- 23cm/9 inch fluted tart pan (or around about that size) is what I've used here. You can use any shape or size tart pan (if it's larger, make a double batch and just make sure to roll it to 4mm thick) or even tart rings.
- Medium saucepan
- Balloon whisk
- Offset spatula - this makes it easy to spread the filling evenly.
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Strawberry Tart (Tarte aux Fraises)
Ingredients
PATE SUCREE CRUST
- 95 g icing sugar (powdered sugar) (¾ cup / ~3 ½oz)
- 100 g unsalted butter softened (3 ½ oz)
- 1 large egg (roughly 50g / 1 ¾oz)
- 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (8oz)
- 2 tablespoons almond meal (ground almonds) (18g / ⅔ oz / 8 tsp, notes 1)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg extra, optional
PASTRY CREAM FILLING
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk (810ml / 1 ¾ pints)
- 57 g unsalted butter (¼ cup / ½ stick / 2oz)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 100 g granulated white sugar (½ cup / 3 ½oz)
- 65 g cornflour (US cornstarch) (½ cup / ~2 ⅓oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 egg yolks from large eggs
TOPPING
- 4 cups small strawberries (500g / ~1lb)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam (8tsp, notes 1)
Instructions
- FOR THE TART SHELL:In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and butter. Beat on low until smooth (you don't want to aerate it)
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add just one egg and beat on low again until it comes together. It may look a little split but that's fine.
- Add the flour, almond meal and salt and beat on low until it clumps together.
- Turn the pastry out onto a clean work surface and gently pull it together. Shape it into a round disk.
- Between two sheets of baking paper or silicone mats, floured very lightly on each side, roll the dough out to about 4-5mm thick or about 11 inches in diameter.
- Peel away the top layer of baking paper or silicone and use the other to lift and carefully lay it over a 9 inch round tart pan with removeable base.
- Press the dough down in to the corners all the way round, then press it gently into the scalloped sides. Leave the overhang standing upright and place the tart pan into the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours or overnight. If your freezer has space you can place it in there.
- TO BAKE THE TART SHELL:Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) / 350F. I prefer fan for this tart shell.
- Use a fork to prick the pastry base all over. Use a small sharp knife laid flat to the edge of the tart pan, to trim off the excess pastry.
- Line the tart shell with a sheet of baking paper and fill with pie weights or rice. Fill it quite full, making sure it's pressed up tight against the edges.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking paper and rice (or weights) and bake a further 15 minutes or until turning pale golden.
- OPTIONAL:Beat the second egg, then brush it over the base and inside-sides of the tart shell. Bake for a further 5 minutes. This will add a film between the pastry and the filling to reduce the chances of the pastry turning soggy.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- FOR THE PASTRY CREAM FILLING (while the pastry is baking):Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, and add the butter, sugar and vanilla, then heat over medium heat until steaming, stirring regularly.
- While the milk mixture is heating, whisk together the cornflour, eggs and egg yolks until combined.
- Once the milk mixture is steaming, drizzle it slowly into the eggs while whisking constantly. Don't pour it too quickly or the heat will scramble the eggs.
- Return the entire mix to the saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring with a balloon whisk constantly, until it gets very thick. This will happen quite suddenly after about 5 minutes, so it's important to keep stirring so you don't get lumpy custard. Let it come to a bubble and then cook, stirring constantly for another 30-60 seconds. It should be so thick at this point that it doesn't settle back into itself.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and chill until cold or for at least 1 hour. You can use the freezer to speed this up.
- ASSEMBLING THE STRAWBERRY TART:Use a balloon whisk to re-whip the pastry cream so that it's smooth, then tip into the cooled tart shell. Spread out evenly with an offset spatula or knife.
- Depending on the depth of your tart shell, you may have more custard than you need to fill it. You can put any excess into ramekins and have them as a treat.
- If the pastry cream is firm enough to hold the strawberries at this point, go ahead and top it now, otherwise, let it chill for another hour before topping.
- FOR THE TOPPING:Wash the strawberries and dry well. Hull them. Keep one whole, then cut the rest in half.
- Place the whole strawberry in the centre of the custard. Arrange the halved strawberries around it in a spiral.
- Warm the strawberry jam in the microwave for 10-15 seconds then brush over the strawberries. You can serve immediately or chill until required.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
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